Man ‘took matters into his own hands’ after falling into ‘overwhelming’ debt following wife’s death

25.08.2023 - 16:23 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A delivery driver stole over £21,000 worth of stock from his employer after falling into ‘overwhelming’ debt following his wife’s death.

Stephen Hale, 57, was working for a small company which manufactured hot water cylinders, when they became aware of a number of boxes of valves going missing.

Upon searching the CCTV, they discovered Hale, of Stalybridge, putting the boxes into his van. These were not something he delivered as part of his role, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

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In total, Hale stole 1,110 valves, costing £21,318. After pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to theft by an employee, he was handed a suspended prison term.

Opening the case, Laura Broome said Hale began working for the company, World Heat, in March 2021 as a delivery driver.

On June 23 last year, his manager spoke to the owner of the company and asked to check the CCTV cameras as eleven boxes of valves had gone missing.

“They checked the CCTV and observed the defendants picking up four boxes containing a number of zone valves before placing them on a trolley and putting them into his van. This was not something he usually delivered,” Ms Broome said.

In further footage they saw him take more boxes in consecutive days. Each box contained ten valves and the boxes were valued at around £190, she said.

From viewing the footage of Hale, they found he had taken 20 boxes valued at £3,800. He was called in for a meeting with his manager and the owner, where he confessed he had been stealing the boxes from November 2021.

“He told them that the reason why was because he was struggling [financially] after his partner had left him,” the prosecutor continued.

“He said he

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